Description
This course provides an introduction to issues of historical causation, argumentation, and evidence through the lens of the first major episode of European colonization. The course will begin with with the explanation of the Conquest offered by the book Guns, Germs, and Steel. Using primary and secondary sources, students will then learn why many historians question this explanation. In tandem with discussions of historical methods, we will examine accounts of Spanish experiences in the Caribbean, in Mexico, and in the Andes. In the process, students will be introduced to the various means by which historians conduct research and write about the past.
As a student in the course, you will be expected to participate actively in our class sessions. You are responsible for doing the reading ahead of class, preparing responses to the discussion questions, and bringing the reading to class. You should expect to contribute in every class session. When I say that you should bring the reading to class, I ask that you work from hardcopies of the reading. That means no laptops. So, unless you have an accomodation, do not use a laptop in class.
About the Instructor
Instructor: Mr. J. Pablo Silva (he/him/his)
Office Hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 11 to noon
(and by appointment)
in Team Room HSSC A3240
Email: silvajp@grinnell.edu
Phone: (641) 269-4886
Learning Goals For the Course
In terms of Basic Skills of Historical Analysis, students in this class will learn how to:
Read and critically analyze primary sources
Read and critically analyze secondary sources
Research, synthesize, and critically evaluate a body of secondary historical literature
In terms of Basic Understanding of the Study of History, students will learn:
History is both a craft and a discipline
A diversity of methods, approaches, and narratives about the Spanish Conquest
In terms of Writing and Discussion Skills, by the end of the semester students should be able to:
Structure a short argumentative paper
Support an argumentive claim with historical evidence
Feel comfortable contributing to a class discussion on a historical topic